What would you do?

To me it would make more financial sense to put the plow on my truck and not get a second truck if I truly do not need it yet. Winters are 6 months of uncertainty and I would like to have my savings acct as full as possible. My plowing would consist of residential driveways (20+) and possibly a small condo complex (one drive), but that's as of now. My decision would be made in the fall based on the amount of work I have.

If I get a plow on my truck, I'm not going to sell the plow it after a year. My current plan is to purchase a nice 3/4 or 1 ton next year for a second/landscape truck, and keep my truck for the lawn side and a snow backup. I don't plan on ever selling the truck, just because once paid off it will make a nice maint/irrigation truck in the future, so I just want to run it till it can't be ran anymore. The warranty scares me, but it's almost a damned if I do and damned if I don't, and it's not like I have money to be throwing around. I'd like to find a used plow however most I see are too heavy for my truck really. I went to my lawn dealer today and talked about it, I think if I do I'm going with a Boss Sport Duty. Their pretty light and would be better on my truck. I've thought about Western but no dealers around me. My problem is I just don't have the extra money to get a second truck right now with all the extra expenses it would bring such as insurance, etc. I think with some suspension aids and great caution the truck should be okay.

Click to expand...

Well then if thats the plan then Iguess thats not too bad. I wouldnt use the truck for a full time route for years on end though. But since you say only one year and then having it as a backup seems like a pretty smart idea to me anyway. Depending on where you are in michigan though you may be putting your truck up to a very severe challenge being only a half ton.

Would this be your first year plowing? If so I wouldnt go too crazy because depending on your drives you may have a very long route. I have about 20 drives and two condo complexes and just one cleaning through all of them takes like 6 hours. and if you have a large storm like we had last year there were several times i was out for over 30 hours at a time without sleep or even turning the truck off. half tons will wear out much faster at that rate.

Well then if thats the plan then Iguess thats not too bad. I wouldnt use the truck for a full time route for years on end though. But since you say only one year and then having it as a backup seems like a pretty smart idea to me anyway. Depending on where you are in michigan though you may be putting your truck up to a very severe challenge being only a half ton.

Would this be your first year plowing? If so I wouldnt go too crazy because depending on your drives you may have a very long route. I have about 20 drives and two condo complexes and just one cleaning through all of them takes like 6 hours. and if you have a large storm like we had last year there were several times i was out for over 30 hours at a time without sleep or even turning the truck off. half tons will wear out much faster at that rate.

Your last sentence is key.

Click to expand...

Well I'm in south east Michigan (Metro Detroit) so we don't see too much heavy stuff such as the lake effect the west and north side of the state does. I think the truck would be fine with the snowfall that we see.

This would be my second year plowing. I plowed full time last year at an apartment complex with 200+ units. I used a 2011 F250 with a Boss Power VXT. I learned a lot from using it, especially with the amount it snowed this year. I have complete confidence that I could complete a 20 drive route with the 1/2 ton. I would definitely be taking it a lot slower than in a 3/4 ton however. Like you said though I have no wish to go crazy. I just want the extra income in the winter to put in the bank. I'm growing my business and want to make the most conscientious decisions possible, and buy as I need, not as I want haha. If I decide to get a plow for the truck, I'm going to do a 2" level and some Timbrens, if not completely upgrade from the factory struts. That should help with the rake and extra weight.

Putting a plow on a truck is like getting a tattoo, even when it's removed, you always can tell it was there. So that's what makes me nervous. However it is my work truck, not just my personal truck, and it's not like it's the only truck I'll ever have. Thanks for the input too, I appreciate it.